Maybe Ed could've become a more reliable patriarch. I'm not sure the audience would've forgiven him enough to be okay with him remarrying, even under the best of writers.

3 hours ago, Reverend Ruthledge said:

Well, him faking his death was completely out of character and was written by the Dobsons who had zero history with the character. The real Bill Bauer would never have walked out on his family and would never lead them to think he was dead. The Dobsons writing that storyline is one of my biggest pet peeves. It was just a plot device that didn't honor history. Bill should have stayed dead in that plane crash in 1969, in my opinion. Yes, he had two affairs but he was torn up about them. He didn't leave Bert due to his sense of duty even though she was a battle-axe (during the first affair, in particular). Bert's selfishness and belittling really drove him to drink and into the arms of another woman. At least initially. It wasn't because he was emotionally distant and just catting around. He actually should probably have never married Bert to begin with (Bill and Bert were very mis-matched) but they got closer as Bert mellowed with age. When Bill "died" in 1969, they were closer than they had ever been. Which makes it even more unbelievable that he would have faked his death to be with another woman at that time. Plus, Bill would never have done that to his family. In spite of his affairs, he was perhaps too loyal. He denied himself and his personal desires to do what was "right". He got married and stayed married because that was the "right" thing to do even though he really wanted to be with Gloria and, later, Maggie. He did jobs he hated and didn't pursue his career dreams because he had to make a stable income for his family. He didn't live the life he should have (or wanted to) due to weakness and fear but also out of a sense of morality and loyalty. This is one of the reasons why he drank. Even though Ed hated Bill because of his drinking and affairs, it's ironic that Ed later became an alcoholic and adulterer. However, Ed's reasons for becoming those things were far less sympathetic in my opinion.

Yes I'm really not sure what was the point of having Bill BFTD. Sure it provided some short term drama, but it didn't seem to go over well and Bill was off the show again in less than ayear.

If they wanted to add some more Bauers eg Hillary there were probably other ways of doing it. Use the time that Mike was off the show in the early 60's for example to give him a son.

11 hours ago, P.J. said:

I certainly wouldn't have minded Mindy going in a completely different direction. But I can't think of what that might've been.

I hear what you're saying, but I think it would've played better if Bridget had been the one to put it together, and just blast Ed and Lillian. Bridget was so close to Mo, and she'd held Ed in such high regard, I could see her just be devasted. Nola, bless her, hadn't had scenes with any Mo in at least 10 years.

While I never really saw Bill Bauer, now I think that Ed really followed in Bill's footsteps. Bill (at the very least) seems like an emotionally distant man.

I really don't think very many people knew about the affair. Vanessa and Eve. Probably Holly.

I'm not even sure the Spaulding takeover happens if Bev stays. I can't believe they'd write Alex losing everything.

I could actually see some sort of Mindy/Jenna business venture like a fashion/jewelry line and have her in some business shenanigans until the right chemistry develops, and in the meantime this would put her in Roger’s orbit which would cause tension with the Lewises and probably between Jenna/Mindy. (Or do this post Roger/Jenna and it’s at least better than the Jenna lotion plot.). But I think there’s Mindy as a fashion designer possibilities to keep her on the canvas without a love interest for a little bit-it’s actually too bad that Michael O’Leary came back so late in Barbara Crampton’s run as Rick/Mindy reconnecting as friends for awhile as they get over Annie/Nick then make a go of it might have worked.

With the Ed/Lillian affair I think no one finding out initially makes sense as I think focusing on the grief of losing Mo works. But I do think it coming out and the reactions of people like Bridget/AM/Blake who all saw Ed /Mo living the life they aspired to and Ed being the “good” person example in their lives could be pretty powerful. (I wish they’d explored a little more of AM/Bridget as “cousins” and them forming a tighter familial bond over losing their idealization of Ed could’ve been interesting.

20 hours ago, P.J. said:

I hear what you're saying, but I think it would've played better if Bridget had been the one to put it together, and just blast Ed and Lillian. Bridget was so close to Mo, and she'd held Ed in such high regard, I could see her just be devasted. Nola, bless her, hadn't had scenes with any Mo in at least 10 years.

I do like that, but I still like Nola, who has been gone for so long, walk into things, believing that Ed was Mr. Husband (she was around for Claire, so at least Ed and Mo had a solid marriage when she left) and try to dig into things without knowing it was still an open wound, which was a totally Nola thing to do, barge in, knock the table over and then try to put it back together. But, she would be the catalyst and Bridget could be the emotional core of the fallout. Ed becomes just another father figure that is a failure..and Chelle feels that something is wrong between Bridget and Ed and does not understand what is going on, etc. Maybe Rick and Bridget become close as he too is sick of Ed's failures while Holly comforts Ed (much to the annoyance of boring Fletch, who is my scenario, is slated with an enounter with Brent/Marion..that's a good idea, Holly is off comforting Ed when Fletcher gets the knife and she is full guilt as we all know she doesnt actaully love him.)